I Forgot Cancer Was Deadly

I reconnected with a friend who owns one of my pups, Ice. We had not spoken since before the cancer thing almost 2 years ago. He had left a message on our land line which was never heard or returned.

It's kind of awful to bring folks up to date. It's hard not to traumatize them. Faced with news of that much illness it is difficult for an average person to react. Since things are OK now, it is easier to just be upbeat.

Fortunately we were both interested in talking about Ice and her war on the squirrels.

Strange as it may seem, I forgot how bad the news of cancer can be. While talking with a fellow in the waiting room I let slip that the doctors (including his) were great and had saved my life.

That's when he told me that he had rectal cancer and six months to live. He was not kidding and seemed very credible. He had finished 6 weeks of radiation treatments and was there to discuss a potential chemotherapy regime. We talked a bit about how it was important to know clearly what the prognosis was from the doctor. Then he was called.

The woman next to me told me she was a 12 year survivor of stage 2 colon cancer. It is not uncommon to meet survivors of all sorts of cancer.

Guide to Surviving

I read an interview with a local woman who has been writing an award winning blog called Breast Cancer Sisterhood

http://www.breastcancersisterhood.com/

I really did not focus on breast cancer until my second mastectomy in April. It seems strange but it's true. I guess in part because the sarcoma is more likely to kill me. However, it does not mean that the breast cancer may not be deadly.

The second breast tumor was not the first one spreading. Breast cancer doesn't work like that. When it spreads, it spreads through the lymph system to lungs, brain, liver...

I was attracted to this blog when I read that she started the blog in part because a breast cancer survivor she knew had died of an infection that originated in a cut cuticle during the time her immune system was compromised by chemotherapy. I was hospitalized a couple of times with infections while I was having chemo. No one told me not to floss or otherwise risk cutting myself. They did advise me to avoid fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers and plants due to potential bacteria.

So far I have found some things in her blog "guide to surviving breast cancer." Her blog on beans is detailed and helpful. Note to self - eat beans twice a week. Her bra fitting and shoe recommendation are for a budget not devastated by medical costs.